The Recognition of Shale & Eyes High
by Lomihahamech
Summary: When Ember & Suntop spy 'Uncle Skywise' clutching a golden hairpiece, can they convince him to tell them a bedtime story?


"Skywise? Skywise! Whatcha doin'?" Skywise turned slowly as two voices slowly bounded up to him. Suntop and Ember. He smiled, and turned to them. He crouched down as they leapt into his arms. He snickered and fell backwards.  
  
"What are you two doing up? It's late..." He mumbled as he folded his hands behind his head, fingering the golden object carefully. Suntop sat up and brushed off as Ember flipped onto her stomach, and shook her head free of dust.  
  
"Well, dad's been trying to get us to go to bed..." Suntop whined.  
  
"But I wanted to hear a story, and he's out!" Ember smirked as she caught sight of the object in Skywise's grip. "What's that, Skywise?"  
  
"What's what?"  
  
"That.." She pointed, and he smiled a bittersweet smile. He sat up slowly.  
  
"This, used to belong to my mother." He held the tiny object out for them to look at.  
  
"Wow...." Suntop smiled as a spark of moonlight reflected off the side. "Did she give it to you?"  
  
"Well.. not.. not really." Skywise bit his lip slightly. Suntop looked up at him with his big blue eyes. Ember giggled.  
  
"I betcha there's a good story behind those scribbles on the back!" Skywise smiled, turning the object over carefully. In small pictures, much like egyptian hieroglyphics, one name was inscribed in shaky stitches,  
  
Shale.  
  
"Mmm, would you like to hear it?" Skywise said softly.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Ooh, tell us Skywise!" Ember smiled and stretched out across Skywise's chest. "Tell us!"  
  
"Oooh, I see..." The three turned their heads in the direction of the holt as a fourth voice joined them. "So, you've gotten Skywise on your side now?"  
  
"Father!" Suntop stood and ran to his sire. He jumped into his arms. Cutter walked over and Ember growled slightly, putting her face down on Skywise's chest. He looked down at her.  
  
"Can we hear Skywise's story first, father?" Suntop asked in his gentle voice. Cutter sighed, and set him down.  
  
"Well,"  
  
"Please!" Ember said, sitting up and pointing to the object in Skywise's hand. "It's about the.. uh.."  
  
"Eyes High's tassle.." Cutter said softly, and sat down next to Suntop.  
  
"Right, I was gonna say that!" Cutter smiled and looked up at Skywise, who was grinning down at Ember.  
  
"C'mon Skywise! Tell us, tell us!" Ember said, and gave him a playful punch on the shoulder.  
  
"Ok! Ok! Don't rush me pup!" Skywise smiled and brought his free left hand behind his head.  
  
  
  
"Well, Shale, my sire, and Eyes High, my dam, were very different.... Shale was very young and playful. He loved to cause mischeif, but for the most part, was strangely shy.. especially among the girls.. You hush Cutter... And Eyes High was a loner, she strayed from the tribe, and always had her... eyes high!"  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
"Eyes High! Eyes High! Oooh that pup!" Eyes High's dam had searched everywhere for her pup, but she was nowhere in sight.  
  
"Don't worry, Lifemate," Eyes High's sire said as he stepped up behind her dam, and kissed her head. "She'll be home before sunrise.. she always is."  
  
"You hear that Shale! Your lovemate's gone again!" Rain laughed as he punched his son playfully.  
  
"She's not my lovemate!" Shale crossed his arms over his chest. His father snickered, and was called away by Bearclaw. Shale looked over his shoulder, a small smirk crossed his face. Sheathing his dagger, which he'd been sharpening, he leapt into the green branches of a tree, and swung off to Eyes High's favorite hiding spot.  
  
  
  
Eyes High sat, her golden yellow curls tied up with a small piece of string. She sat, cross legged as she worked on the piece of clay before her. She began to hum a simple tune to herself, and her head slowly tilted one way, then the other. Shale sighed, as he watched from his tree solace. He stretched out on his stomach, his legs dangling on either side of the branch, and rested his head in his chin.  
  
"Aahhh, Eyes High." He smiled.  
  
~** And just how long are you planning on watching me, Shale? **~ Shale nearly toppled from the tree.  
  
"Well.. I .. uh.. " Shale stammered as he slid to the ground, running a hand through his hair and nearing Eyes High.  
  
"Mmmhmm..." Eyes High didn't even turn, she continued to hum, and mold her clay.  
  
"W-what are you working on?" He asked as he settled himself next to her timidly.  
  
"Nothing!" She said quickly, turning her hands from him with a shriek as he reached over to tickle her.  
  
"C'mon Eyes High! Lemme see!"  
  
"No! Ah! Shale!" She flipped onto her back and kicked as she giggled. He smiled, and quickly took the object.  
  
"Wow.. this is nice Eyes High..do.. do you think it floats?" Eyes High shrieked.  
  
"It's still drying Shale! Don't you dare!" Shale smirked, and jumped quickly to his feet.  
  
"OH! Aaahh! Shale! Shale you pup, get back here!" Eyes High leapt up just as quickly, and followed his winding path. He turned to look at her over his shoulder, and smiled.  
  
Eyes High was chasing him! And she was smiling!  
  
He dove into a bush, and crawled on his stomach, trying to shake her from his tail. He tied the object into a tree, and then dived head first into the pool of white water before him.  
  
"SHALE! That was not splashing I heard!" Eyes High screamed as she pushed her way to the lake. She stood at the edge of the lake, and watched the slow stream of bubbles until Shale popped up from the lake.  
  
"Um, it might have been." He smiled, and Eyes High felt her heart jump, he was adorable.  
  
"Well.. I'll just have to come get it then.. won't I?" She said with a sigh as she removed her boots, and her cape, then dove into the lake as well.  
  
Shale smiled, and spun around as the water stilled. She was trying to sneak up on him..  
  
No one snuck up on Shale!  
  
"Uh.. Eyes High?" Shale turned around.  
  
"Gotcha!" Eyes High popped up behind him, and dunked him with her cheery laughter. Shale pulled her under with him, and turned to face her. He smiled as he met her eyes under the cool water.  
  
Suddenly,  
  
~**K.. K... Koei? **~  
  
~**Z.. Zash?**~ Shale was stunned speechless, never in his wildest dreams had he ever dreamed of this, Recognition with the sweet Eyes High! He'd had dreams, they were lovemates... but, to Recognize? He took her hands, and kicked towards the surface, dragging her with him. He watched as she surfaced, fliging her wild hair out behind her, away from her eyes. He never released her hands. She slowly brought her gaze back to him, and he felt a pang of guilt. She looked frightened, like a caged animal. Then it hit him, Eyes High, the loner.. she would never be his lifemate.. Would she even join with him? She reached up, pulling her hand from his, and gently, unsurely, brushed a piece of hair from his eyes.  
  
"C-can I have my clay piece back now.. Sh... Zash?" He searched her eyes, and pulled her to him as she smiled.  
  
~**Koei.. **~ Shale sent softly, and pulled her to shore as he felt his legs grow sore. She smiled up at him, and helped him to the shore. He climbed out of the lake first, and shook his head, fluffing out his white- silver hair. He heard Eyes High chuckle, and he splashed her gently. She smiled up at him, but met his eyes, and frowned. She didn't want to be lifemated. She wanted to be Eyes High.. free... She saw the hurt look on Shale's face, his starry eyes fixed on her began to gather tears.  
  
"Zash.." She whispered, and reached out for him. He quickly pulled her from the water, swung her around, and pulled her to him in a tight embrace. He brushed his hand softly through her wet mane, and felt her shake slightly .He looked down at her. Had he done something wrong?! She reached up and unfasioned the small necklace Shale always wore. He licked his lips, watching her shaking hands as she dropped it to the ground.  
  
He wanted her. He wanted her more than anything. She ran her hands up into his hair, and pulled him to her.  
  
~**Zash I... I.. **~ She pushed away from him slowly. ~**I .. I can't be your lifemate.. **~ She didn't want to meet his eyes, to see those star- filled jewels spark with pain. He cupped her face in his hands.  
  
~**I know, Koei.. **~ She looked up, his eyes, crying yes, but sad, no. She felt a shiver run through his entire body, and her own muscles gave out as well. She fell into him, and they slowly curled against each other in the soft bushes around the lake.  
  
  
  
Eyes High closed her eyes, and bit her bottom lip as Shale, shaking from exhaustion, rolled off of her onto his back. She turned to her side, and looked at him. His eyes were closed, and yet tears slipped from their corners. He was breathing heavily, and his slender body shone under the star light. She gently brushed away a tear, and pressed her forehead to his. She felt him sigh.  
  
"My clay piece.." She chuckled as she saw it spin in a branch above her. Shale let out a nervous laugh. She reached up to get it, and he slowly, timidly drew his fingers down the length of her body .  
  
He bit his lower lip, she was so smooth. She sat up once she'd retrieved her clay piece, and turned it about in her hand. Shale closed his eyes.  
  
He'd always admired Eyes High from afar.. and tonight, not only had he talked to her, but.. they Recognized, and joined. Eyes High would carry his pup. He slowly opened his eyes, as if it were all a dream, and would fade as he did.  
  
"Zash.." Eyes High was hoovering above him, twirling the object in her hand. He smiled and sat up slowly. She brushed a sliver of hair behind her ear, and looked at the small clay piece.  
  
"I, I don't know what to do with it.." She whispered. Shale smiled, and sat up. He took the clay piece, and rubbed it slowly. He felt a few bumps, scratches on the back. "Oh!" Eyes High suddenly reached for it.  
  
"What?" He chuckled, and flipped to his other side, and turned the clay piece over. He gasped.  
  
Shale, was carved into the back.  
  
He turned to look at Eyes High. Her face was burning a bright red.  
  
~**You're not the only one who spies around here, Zash.**~  
  
~**Oh, Koei!**~ He sat up, and wrapped his thin arms over her again. He felt her give in to sobs.  
  
"W-when.. I s-said we couldn't b-be Lifemates.. I was true.. b-but.. we c- can be.. l-lovemates.. can't we?" She whispered gently. Shale held her out as he rested on his back.  
  
"Yes my Koei..."  
  
"We can raise him together.."  
  
"Him?" Shale blinked, she knew the cub's sex already?  
  
"Yes.. him." She smiled, and rested her head on his chest. He gasped, surprised still at her flirtative manner and actions. He slowly draped his arm over her shoulder.  
  
"Skywise.." She whispered, and Shale could only nod.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
"Wow..." Skywise blinked and looked over at Ember. She smiled.  
  
"You liked that, Ember?" She nodded. Suntop yawned, and curled up against Cutter.  
  
"So.. *yawn*... did I.. uncle Skywise.." He mumbled and closed his eyes. Skywise smiled, and sat up. He fingered the piece, and looked at Ember. She was watching it just as intently as he was. He reached up and pulled her hair into a small knot, then fasioned the piece into it.  
  
"There."  
  
"Oh!" She reached up, and drew her small hands over it. She smiled at Skywise with brilliant eyes.  
  
"You can keep it, if you'd like Ember.. just, just take care of it." He said softly.  
  
"Oh! Thank you uncle Skywise!" She threw her arms around his neck, and hugged him tightly.  
  
"Ember? Suntop? Oh.. why am I not surprised." The only three elves awake turned to look as Leetah slowly padded up the hill.  
  
"Mother! Mother look what Skywise gave me!" Ember leapt over Skywise and into her mother. She pointed to her new tie.  
  
"Why, that's beautiful." Cutter stood and handed Suntop to Leetah, she smiled at him  
  
~**Try to be quiet, Tam, when you come up.. **~ She smiled and took Ember's hand as her cub began to tell her of Eyes High and Shale.  
  
Skywise smiled, and folded his hands behind his head.  
  
"Oh, Fahr.. where would I be without you?" Cutter said as he laid next to his soulbrother.  
  
"The same place I'd be without you..." Skywise turned to look at him. "And let me tell you, it's not a good place... pup." 


End file.
